


long live the prince

by davidelizabeth



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: (mostly), Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-17
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2019-03-06 02:26:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13401495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/davidelizabeth/pseuds/davidelizabeth
Summary: zuko is eight years old when he learns that his body is not his own. he is eight years old, when his father gifts him the truth that is his life. the slimy feeling around his throat and heart is all he remembers,





	long live the prince

zuko is eight years old when he learns that his body is not his own. he is eight years old, when his father gifts him the truth that is his life. the slimy feeling around his throat and heart is all he remembers, as he is told that he is worthless without his fathers approval, that he is nothing but his fathers son, never to be his own man till his fathers death bed. zuko is eight years old when he learns of his arranged marriage, of the girl he is supposed to marry, so that his father can solidify trade and surrender agreements with a section of the earth kingdom. they will provide his father with their surrender and work under the fire nation flag, and zuko will marry their oldest daughter, and secure their family line for generations to come.

zuko knows that his father is doing this to punish him, to punish him for something that he does not know he has done. to punish him for some nonexistent infraction, to make himself feel better about the pathetic state of his son. his son, who is too weak, too kind, too selfless. zuko knows that, these words are **true** thats what he is. in his fathers eyes he is worthless, nothing more than a pawn, willing to please the highest power over his pathetic life.

he knows, that to his father, his body is nothing more than a bargaining chip, that he is nothing more than a game piece, waiting to be moved by whoever deems him useless enough to sacrifice. his mother tells him that she loves him, but zuko knows the truth. she too, is a pawn, is a piece used in his grandfather and fathers plans.

the first time his sister tries to end his life, he is nine. they are sitting on one of the highest balconys, waiting for their mother to arrive. he had gotten up, to try and get a closer look at one of the ponds his mother had planted, and before he could react, he had been shoved off the balcony, with the melody of his sisters deranged cackling laughter making up the symphony that he thought would be his dying moments. the intense crack as he hit the ground was the last thing he remembered before the pure, lightning strike of pain took over his body and rendered him either dead or unconscious.

his mother would not believe him, no one would believe him, the servants who had been watching would not back up his story, they stayed quiet. the intense quiet and rage that filled the air prodded him to realised that he had made a grave mistake.

his uncle was not always there to protect him from his family, from the guards, from his sister, as he grew up.

and before he knew it, his mother was gone, his father on the throne, and more power hungry than ever.

zuko knew he would die.

his father did not raise a hand to the guards who assaulted him while no one was watching. if his father would not protect him, he would protect himself, before something happened that would render his hope desolate.

the first time he burned a guard who tried to assault him, he spat in their face and carved his mark into their revolting flesh, a mark that all young nobles knew, whether or not their parents and guardians taught them, a mark that would identity who among them was treacherous enough to attempt to sully a noble born.

with great pride he took to his mission of scarring and identifying those who the youth of the palace could not trust, of men and women who could not be trusted with a single good thing. the savage grin on his face when councilmen showed up marked to balls and partys, and were subsequently threatened by many a noble parent was all the reward he needed.

in his youth, the youth he had before his uncle returned home, was spent learning all he could from slippery servants and spys. all of his fathers spies, and spies from other countries and from other nobles, knew his face, his name, and what he would do to learn. this amalgamated into a boy who could brashly walk into a room full of soliders and then disappear after a moments notice.

everyone knew that the young dragon prince was feral, he wasn't to be approached in fear that he would kill whoever approached, was a fear that most of the staff held. discounting the servants of course, and his teachers.

iroh, after the lost of his only son, to his own damn foolishness no less, returned to the palace to a broken family, with his dearest nephew feral, brandishing a knife at whomever would seek to harm him, with his abomination of a niece throwing her weight around, and abusing those around her, with his power hungry tyrant of a brother with no morals, and no compassion for those who weren't himself.

iroh installed himself into the palace, as a wall between his brother, his niece, and his feral brutish nephew. he installed himself between them, begging angi for the power to stand strong, to be as impenetrable as the wall he had laid siege to for six hundred days. he begged for the strength to revive the kind, compassionate boy his nephew had been before the cruelty of the fire nation palace had set its claws into the young boy. he begged, in his knees, in front of the altar, and by angi, he was granted the first thing he had ever wished for in his life.

the dragon of the west was to be feared, and if his brother did not understand that, then his brother was to die.

zuko knows when danger approaches. danger was everywhere, everything is a threat to his survival in this political mind field of a place.

his cousin is dead.   
his father is a madman  
his uncle an old fat man.   
his grandfather is dead  
his mother is gone.  
his sister is a danger to everyone

_zuko is alone_

iroh cannot get through to his nephew, he is doubting that there is even a nephew to save.

the agni kai is instigated by ozai.

_zuko is still alone he is so alone is there no one out there he needs help all there is he pain he is burning it hurts it hurts it hurts the shadows could not help him it hurts it hurts he could not fight back won't someone let him fight back please save him he doesn't deserve this please please please please ple-_

iroh prepares the ship. iroh prepares the crew, only those loyal to him.

_zuko burns oh angi he burns someone put it out put it out put it out please please please it hurts he can't see he can't see oh agni someone end him oh agni pleas-_

ozai relishes in what he has done.

azula cackles as she is the only heir left.

iroh helps his nephew down to the docks. they leave.

_zuko is dead the prince is dead long live the prince we watched his spirit burn out and die and we did nothing because we are observers we do not interact we observe and oh it is such a shame to see such a bright young boy be wasted long live the prince as he burns in death_

**Author's Note:**

> uhhh catch me in 2018 still lovin my boy and writing trash fiction about him, if anyone knows where I can shit talk about my boy all day long, hmu


End file.
